Article of wearing apparel



June 17, 1952 B. Ln-:BowlTz ARTICLE oF WEARING APPAREL 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Dec. 5, 1950 MANVENTO-R.

Patented .une 17, 19542 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 18 Claims.

This invention relates to articles of wearing apparel such as womens undergarments and has particular reference to such articles as girdles which restrain the abdomen and hips.

One of the most widespread defects in such garments currently in use is the tendency for the upper front edge to curl outward and downward, away from the body of the wearer.

This invention concerns means for eliminating or minimizing that curling and will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which are purely diagrammatic and are not intended to be quantitatively interpreted. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a section through a conventional girdle, showing the tendency of such girdle to curl;

Fig. 2 is a perspective front view of a girdle embodying one form of my invention, which is intended to prevent or minimize this curling;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line III- III of Fig. 2, showing the upper edge portion of the girdle while worn;

Fig. 4 is a cross section corresponding to Figure 3 showing only the elastic element in unstretched or relaxed condition;

Fig. 5 is a cross section corresponding to Figure 3 showing the curving of the girdle produced by my new construction while the girdle is not in use;

Fig. 6 is a perspective rear view of a girdle corresponding to Figure 2 showing a modiication of my invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective rear view of a girdle showing a further modication of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a cross section corresponding to Figure 3 showing the upper edge portion of a girdle, while worn, embodying another modification of my invention;

Fig. 9 is a cross section showing the elastic element of Figure 8 in relaxed or unstretchecl condition; and

Fig. 10 is a cross section showing the inward curving of the girdle produced by my new construction shown in Figure 8, while the girdle is not in use.

The purpose of this invention will be more clearly understood by reference to Figure 1 which shows a cross section of a girdle I0 as worn and illustrates at II the characteristic curling of the upper front edge portion of the girdle. This curl arises from repeated flexing of the wearers body and is particularly bad if the wearer has excess esh around the diaphragm. i

Many attempts have been made to cvercom this curl or roll, forv example, by the use of stiiiening elements such as bones or strips of plastic; but to the extent that these devices succeed in preventing the roll they are uncomiortable and moreover cause rapid wear of the garment. By means of the new structure of my invention I overcome this defect by introducing a permanent tendency for the upper front part of the girdle to curl inward towards the body of the wearer so that the said portion ofgthe girdle will return to a snug t with the body of the wearer after each flexing of the body.

It is normally not necessary for the new structure to exert a high pressure against the body of the wearer in order to achieve this anticurl or antiroll effect; a moderately rm sustained tendency for that part of the garment to return to the proper shape whenever it is forced into a curl or roll is generally sufficient. This tendency does not have to be a very strong one, i. e. it does not have to exert an uncomfortably large force. My new structure is allowed to yield under the exing of the wearers body, in contradistinction to the stiffness produced by stays or bones. Of course, where there is a substantial amount of overhanging esh to be supported the anticurling tendency may be made stronger.

Figure 2, which is a perspective view of a girdle I0, shows my new structure I2 applied to the upper front part I3 of the girdle I0 in what may be called the belt region thereof. The structure l2 need not extend all the way around the belt region but may be located in the front portion thereof.

One embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures 3 to 5. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, there is attached to the upper front part I3 of the girdle I0 a structure I2 comprising a exlble compression-resistant element I4 and a stretched elastic element l5. The elastic element I5 is stretched in the up and down direction, i. e. perpendicular to the upper front edge I6 of the girdle. This is illustrated by Figure 4 which is a cross section through the elastic element I5 before it is applied to the compression-resistant element I4.

For simplicity, the resulting structure I2 is shown in a more or less straightened condition` in Figures 2 and 3 as it would appear while the girdle is worn. In the relaxed or free condition, the structure will actually curl inward as indicated in Figure 5.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 5, the compression-resistant element I4 is shown as consisting of three plies of fabric I1 which are fused together to form a semi-stili structure substantially the same as that used in fused collars on mens shirts, as described, for example, in Patents Nos. 1,968,409 and 1,968,410. On the inner face of element I4, i. e. the side facing the body of the wearer, is fastened by stitching or otherwise the elastic element I5 which may be co-extensive with the compression-resistant element I4. The sustained inward curling tendency of the str-ucture I2 is obtained by stretching the elastic element I5 in a Vertical direction when it is applied to the compression-resistant element I4. The stretching of the elastic element I5 is quantitatively illustrated by comparing Figures 3 and 4.

Instead of using -a continuous compressionresistant element I4 and an elastic element I5 co-extensive with it as indicated in Figures 2, 3, and 4, a series of combined strips 20 may be employed as indicated diagrammatically in Figure 6. This structure as a whole is less impervious than the continuous structure and also retains a substantial amount of transverse iiexibility.

It is, however, also possible to make the compression-resistant element 2 I continuous as shown in Figure 7, and the elastic element I5 in the form of a succession of narrow strips 22 attached to element 2I. This latter structure maintains considerable porosity but sacrifices transverse flexibility.

The natural material to use for the elastic element is rubber of proper compounding. A pure gum rubber will be suitable for many cases. The thickness of the rubber and the thickness and stiffness of the compression-resistant element must be determined in each case in order to obtain the desired amount of inward curling tend- :A

ency. Finally, the extent to which the rubber is stretched in applying it to the compressionresistant element will also determine the inward curling tendency.

It is not necessary to use a fabric for the compression-resistant element I4. In fact, it is also possible to use rubber or other elastomer for this purpose as well as for the stretched elastic element. This modification is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 in which I5 as before represents the stretched elastic element and 23 represents a rubber element which may be of somewhat stiffer rubber and is preferably thicker than the stretched element I5. The stretched rubber element I5 and the stiffening compression-resistant rubber element 23 are continuous and cemented or otherwise fastened together at their common interface. The effect of this structure is also to cause an inward curling tendency as illustrated in Figure 9. This structure has the advantage of maintaining lateral exibility. Thus lateral stretching ofv the girdle I0 does not impair the inward directed curling tendency as illustrated in Figure 10.

Instead of using pieces of sheet rubber as indicated in the foregoing description, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that rubber strands may be employed, more particularly rubber strands which are individually covered with a layer of cotton or other fiber to form stretchable yarns in common use rin the girdle industry. Such yarns may be woven or knitted or plaited and may be used both for the stretched elastic element and for the compression-resistant element; in the stretched elastic element the elastic yarns should preferably run parallel to the direction of initial stretch, whereas in the compressionresistant element the yarns are preferably transverse to the direction of stretching.

Again, the compression-resistant elements have been shown in the drawings as separate from the material of the girdle I0 itself. However, under suitable circumstances the girdle material I0 can form the compression-resistant element.

It will be understood that While properly selected rubber is a suitable material to use in connection with this invention, nevertheless any suitable elastomer or other substances or structures may be chosen which have sufficient permanent elasticity.

The invention described above is partially disclosed in my U. S. patent application Serial No. 190,092, filed October 14, 1950, Serial No. 217,341, led March 24, 1951, and Serial No. 247,910, filed September 24, 1951.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In lan article of wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing apparel to curl away from the body of the wearer along an edge of said wearing apparel, said means comprising a flexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastic fiat element incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition between said fiexible permanently compressionresistant element and the inner face of the wearing apparel and secured in such permanently stretched tension-creating condition to said fiexible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said edge with the direction of stretch of said stretched elastic element extending at least approximately toward said edge.

2. In an article of Wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing apparel to curl away from the body of the wearer along an edge of said wearing apparel, said means comprising a iiexible permanently compressionresistant element located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastic strip-shaped element incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition and secured in such condition to said flexible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said edge extending at least approximately toward the same and located between said flexible permanently compression resistant element and the inner face of said wearing apparel.

3. In an article of wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing apparel to curl away from the body of the wearer along an edge of said wearing apparel, said means comprising a fiexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and a flat elastomer element incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition between said iiexible permanently compression-resistant element and the inner face of the wearing apparel and secured in such permanently stretched tensioncreating condition to said exible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said edge with the direction of stretch of said stretched elastomer element extending at least approximately toward said edge.

4. In an article of wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing apparel to curl away from the body of the wearer along Vcompression-resistant fabric `element anledge of said Awearing apparel, said means comprising a flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric element located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastic flat element incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition between said flexible stiffened permanently compressioneresistant fabric element and the inner face of the wearing apparel and secured in such permanently stretched tension-creating condition to said flexible stiffened permanently cornpression-resistant fabric element in the neighborhood of said edge with the direction of stretch of said-.stretched elastic element extending at least approximately toward said edge.

5. In an article of wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing ,apparel to curl away from the body of the weareralong an edge of said wearing apparel, said means comprising a flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric element located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and a flat elastomer element incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition between said flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric element and the inner face of the wearing apparel and secured in such permanently stretched tension-creating condition to said flexible stiffened permanently in the neighborhood of said edge with the direction of stretch of said stretched elastomer element extending at least approximately toward said edge.

6. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, said means comprising a flexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastic flat element incorporated in said girdle in permanently stretched tension-creating condition between said flexible permanently compression-resistant element and the inner face of the girdle and secured in such permanently stretched tension-creating condition to said flexible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said upper front edge with the direction of stretch of said stretched elastic element extending at least approximately toward said edge.

7. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, said means comprising a flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric element located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and a flat elastomer element incorporated in said girdle in permanently stretched tensioncreating condition between said flexible stifened permanently compression-resistant fabric element and the inner face of the girdle and secured in such permanently stretched tensioncreating condition to said flexible stlffened permanently compression-resistant fabric element in the neighborhood of said upper front edge with the direction of stretch of said stretched elastomer element extending at least approximately toward said edge.

8. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, saidmeans comprising a flexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastic flat element incorporated in said girdle in permanently stretched tension-creating condition between said exible permanently compression-resistant element and the inner face of the girdle and sewn in such permanently stretched tension-creatingv condition to said flexible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said upper front edge with` the direction of stretch of `said stretched elasticelement extending at least approximately toward `said edge.

9. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, said meanscomprising a flexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and a plurality of elastic flat elements incorporated in said girdle at a spaced distance from each other in permanently stretched tension-creating condition between said flexible permanently compression-resistant element and the inner face 0f the girdle and secured in such permanently stretched tension-creating condition to said exible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said upper front edge with the direction of stretch of said stretched elastic elements extending at least approximately toward said edge.

10. In an article of wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing apparel to curl away from the body of the wearer along an edge of said wearing apparel, said means comprising a flexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastomer strip incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition and secured in such condition to said flexible permanently compressionresistant element in the neighborhood of said edge extending at least approximately toward the same and located between said flexible permanently compression-resistant element and the inner face of said wearing apparel.

l1. In an article of wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing apparel to curl away from the body of the wearer along an edge of said wearing apparel, said means comprising a flexible stifened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastic strip-shaped element incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition and secured in such condition to said flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip in the neighborhood of said edge extending at least approximately toward the same and located between said flexible stiflened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip and the inner face of said wearing apparel.

12. In an article of wearing apparel, means for opposing the tendency of said wearing apparel to curl away from the body of the wearer along an edge of said wearing apparel, said means comprising a flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip located in the neighborhood of said edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastomer strip incorporated in said wearing apparel in permanently stretched tension-creating condition and secured in such condition to said flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip in the neighborhood of said edge extending at least approximately toward the same and located between said flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip and the inner face of said wearing apparel.

13. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, said means comprising a flexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastic strip-shaped element incorporated in said girdle in permanently stretched tension-creating condition and secured in such condition to said flexible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said upper front edge extending at least approximately toward the same and locatedbetween said flexible permanently compression-resistant element and the inner face of said girdle.

14. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, said means comprising a flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and an elastomer strip incorporated in said girdle in permanently stretched tension-creating condition and secured in such condition to said flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip in the neighborhood of said upper front edge extending at least approximately toward the same and located between said flexible stiened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip and the inner face of said girdle.

15. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, said means comprising a flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially ilxed relation to the same; and an elastomer strip incorporated in said girdle in permanently stretched tension-creating conl dition and sewn in such condition to said flexible stiffened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip in the neighborhood of said upper front edge extending at least approximately toward the same andl located between said flexible stifl" fened permanently compression-resistant fabric strip and the inner face of said girdle.

16. In a girdle, means for opposing the tendency of said girdle to curl away from the body of the wearer along the upper front edge of said girdle, said means comprising a flexible permanently compression-resistant element located in the neighborhood of said upper front edge in substantially fixed relation to the same; and a plurality of elastomer strips incorporated in said girdle at a spaced distance from each other in permanently stretched tension-creating condition and secured in such condition to said flexible permanently compression-resistant element in the neighborhood of said upper front edge extending at least approximately toward the same and located between said flexible permanently compression-resistant element and the inner face of said girdle.

17. A device for inducing a curving tendency in a desired direction in a portion of an article of apparel with which said device is eventually assembled, said device comprising in combination a thin flexible compression-resistant element; and an elastic element fastened along its length to one face of said thin flexible compression-resistant element in permanently stretched tension creating condition so as to induce curvature in said thin flexible compression-resistant element and hence a curving tendency in a portion of an article of wearing apparel with which the same is assembled, said curvature being in the direction of that face of said thin compression-resistant element to which the said elastic element is fastened.

18. A device for inducing a curving tendency in a desired direction in a portion of an article of apparel with which said device is eventually assembled, said device comprising in combination a flexible compression-resistant fabric strip; and an elastic strip-shaped element fastened along its length to one face of said flexible compression-resistant fabric strip in permanently stretched tension-creating condition so as to induce curvature in said compression-resistant flexible fabric strip and hence a curving tendency in a portion of an article of wearing apparel with which the same is assembled, said curvature being in the direction of that face of said compression-resistant flexible fabric strip to which the said elastic strip-shaped element is' fastened.

BENJAMIN LIEBOWITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 328,207 Fulmer Oct. 13, 1885 1,813,389 Duff July 7, 1931 1,968,409 Liebowltz July' 31,l 1934 1,968,410 Liebowitz July 3l, 19.34 2,196,492 Clark et al. Apr. 9, 1940 2,334,529 Amyot Nov. 16, 1943 2,393,612 Bullinger Jan. 29, 1946 2,462,295 Wittenberg Feb. 22, 1949 2,502,772 Winstead Apr. 4, 1950 

